In areas, such as the USA, where a large number of checks are used, the volume of dealing with checks per day reaches several tens of thousands. This dealing with checks is conventionally carried out in the back of an office, such as a facility dedicated to dealing with checks, which requires enormous personnel expenses. Therefore, an apparatus adding thereto a function of receiving a single slip of check in addition to a function of dealing with paying-in with an envelope is used for a current automatic teller apparatus. A received check is stored, together with an envelope, in a storage section of a paying-in section.
FIG. 14 is a front view showing an example of an automatic teller apparatus. In this automatic teller apparatus 500, a customer operating section 1 comprises a display section 11 for displaying thereon an operation guide screen, a switch 12 for selecting an item of the screen 11, and entry keys 13 for entering an identification number and an amount of money. A card operating section 2 reads in, when having received a user's card, contents of the card. The card operating section 2 returns, after the processing for read-in is terminated, the card to the user.
An envelope discharging section 3 discharges an envelope when a user selects the processing for paying-in with an envelope. The envelope is a formatted type with entry columns thereon, such as a name, an account no., and an mount of money in the envelope. A pay-out processing section 4 discharges a specified amount of cash when a user selects the processing for paying-out. An envelope input port 5 (receiving port) receives an envelope or a check inputted by a user.
FIG. 15 is a rear-side perspective view showing the automatic teller apparatus shown in FIG. 14. A safe 506 is provided in the lower section of the automatic teller apparatus 500. Provided in the safe 506 is a pay-in processing section 600. The pay-in processing section 600 is constructed as a single unit by itself. The safe 506 is made of a special steel plate having a thickness of 12.7 mm because envelopes and checks are stored in the safe 506. A combination lock 562 is used for a door 561 of the safe 506.
Provided in the pay-in processing section 600 is a bin 601 for storing therein envelopes and checks. An enclosure of this bin 601 is made of a steel plate having a thickness of 2 mm. A cylinder lock is provided on a door 602 of the bin 601. Also, accommodated in the upper section of the automatic teller apparatus 500 are units not dealing with cash and checks, such as a display unit, a card carrier mechanism, a card recognizing unit (each of them is not shown in the figure). Provided on a door 502 of a cabinet 501 for accommodating therein those units is a comparatively simpler lock, such as a cylinder lock 503.
FIG. 16 is an explanatory view showing carrier paths in the automatic teller apparatus 500 shown in FIG. 15. Provided on the cabinet 501 for the safe 506 is a shared inserting port 564 for envelopes and checks. The shared inserting port 564 has receiving rollers 611 arranged therein. A switch lever 613 is located at the immediate downstream side from the receiving rollers 611. The switch lever 613 activates by a magnetic solenoid (not shown) to switch between an envelope carrier path 650 and a check carrier path 660.
The envelope carrier path 650 has a plurality of carrier rollers 651. The internal section of the bin 601 is divided into an envelope storage section 604 and a check storage section 605. The envelope carrier path 650 extends up to the envelope storage section 604. An envelope is carried to the envelope storage section 604 for the bin 601 through the envelope carrier path 650.
Provided in the check carrier path 660 is a magnetic sensor 662. This magnetic sensor 662 senses the presence or absence of a character string for an MICR (magnetic-ink character reader) pre-printed on a check. When the MICR-character string cannot be sensed, the check is returned. Provided also in the check carrier path 660 are three aligning rollers 663. A reversing gate 664 is provided on the downstream side from the rollers. The reversing gate 664 operates by electromagnetic solenoids (not shown).
A first carrier path 660a and a second carrier path 660b are connected to each other at this reversing gate 664. The second carrier path 660b comprises a plurality of carrier rollers 665 and an MICR-reader 669. The MICR-reader 669 reads an MICR-character string on a check. The storage mechanism 680 stores a check on the first carrier path 660a in a specified position in the bin 601. The reversing gate 664 introduces any check from the first carrier path 660a to the second carrier path 660b. When introduced to the second carrier path 660b, the check is reversed.
A function for collecting checks, or the like, in a safe and a function for maintaining them outside the safe are required for an ordinary type of automatic teller apparatus. The maintenance function is a function for exchanging consumable articles, or the like. For example, the exchange of consumable articles in a receipt printer, as well as in a journal printer, of ink ribbons, and of bank books corresponds to that function. This maintenance function is generally carried out at least once a day. On the other hand, the collecting function is a function for collecting checks, or the like, in a bin, and includes operations, such as exchange of cash cassettes and collection of reject boxes. This collecting function is generally carried out about once a week.
Also, a simple lock, such as a cylinder lock 503, is used for a lock on the door 502 of a cabinet provided outside the safe because cash is not stored in any place outside the safe. On the other hand, cash in envelopes is stored in the safe 506, so that a firm and complicated lock, such as a combination lock 562, is provided on the door 561 of the safe 506. The lock is usually placed under strict controls by a person in charge.
However, if an MICR-character string on a check is read once by a unit, such as a MICR-reader, and then reception information is printed thereon, the security for the check as strict as that for cash is not needed. Accordingly, if checks are collected, for example, together with the maintenance function, a time required for payment processing for the checks can be reduced, which allows circulation of checks to be enhanced. However, in the conventional type of automatic teller apparatus 500, checks are stored in the safe 506 having a complicated and firm lock 562, so that time and effort are needed to open or close the door 561.